Residents living near the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai have raised concerns after unusual white smoke was seen rising from one of the facility’s smokestacks, prompting anxiety among communities situated close to the country’s largest coal-fired power station.
Villagers from nearby areas say the smoke began appearing gradually and has become increasingly noticeable. A young farmer from Ilanthadiya, located only a short distance from the plant, said residents had become worried as the white emissions continued to emerge from the chimney. According to him, the unusual sight has created growing fear among villagers who rely on farming and fishing in the surrounding environment.
Several residents who spoke about the situation suggested the possibility that the smoke could be linked to the use of low-quality coal at the facility. Some villagers expressed concern that inferior fuel might be causing operational problems or environmental side effects, though no official confirmation has supported those suspicions.
Responding to the concerns, the chief engineer of the power station, Chinthaka Dissanayake, said the issue was the result of a technical malfunction that occurred earlier in the day. He explained that engineers were already working to correct the industrial fault and assured that the situation was being brought under control.
Dissanayake further stated that although there could be a temporary reduction in the plant’s electricity generation capacity while repairs are carried out, the national grid would not experience power outages as a result. He emphasized that the power station would soon return to normal operations.
Addressing public speculation about the use of substandard coal, the chief engineer firmly rejected the claim, stating that the incident was unrelated to fuel quality and was purely a technical issue that is currently being rectified. Meanwhile, residents near the plant say they are closely monitoring the situation and hope for clear communication and reassurance from authorities regarding any potential environmental or health impacts.
